Ball rolling game



i March 4, 1941 D E, HOOKER ET AL BALL ROLLING GAME Filed May 17. 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 4, 1941. D HOOKER ETAL 2,233,612

BALL ROLLING GAME Filed May 17, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 4, 1941 PATENT OFFICE BALL ROLLING GAME Donald E. Hooker and Frank G. Nicolaus, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Raymond T. Moloney, Chicago,

Ill.

Application May 17, 1940, Serial No. 335,658

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to a ball rolling game of the pin ball type. More particularly it relates to a coin released pin ball game, utilizing more than one playing ball sealed in its cabinet structure.

Such games have a table providing a ball rolling surface on which is located a plurality of scattered obstacles or targets to be hit or bumped by the rolling balls to achieve a score or win as it may be called. In a game having iive balls available for play it may happen that a score achieved as the result of playing said five balls is just short of achieving a. winning score. The player naturally feels that if he could but have `another ball to .play he could skilfully direct it across the table to engage it with such obstacle as is required to complete the desired win. It so happens, however, with known games of this character that when the allotted number of balls has been played, the balls are trapped out of further play and the game ends.

' It is, therefore, desirable to provide means for games 'of this class, whereby one or more eXtra balls, that is, over and abovethe usual allotted number thereof, can be made available for use to the player at his election or option,

Accordingly, the main obj-ect of the invention is to provide in a multiple ball, pin ball game, means to make one or more balls available for replay at the election of the player.

Another object is to provide such means operable as the result of movement of the usual -coiri chute used in releasing these games for play.

Still another object is to provide such means in the form of a novel shullle board construction.

Another object is to provide an arrangement where as many balls as are sealed in the game may be bought back, so to speak; but only one at a time.

It is also an object to provide a novel shuffle board structure associated with a ball trap out pocket at the low end of the game table operable either to drop all balls therein at once to make them available for play; or, to drop but one ball nat a time as when using the buy back feature of construction.

Another object is to provide an improved control means for`regulating the operation of the novel shuille board structure.

Other important objectswill become apparent to those skilled in the art as the disclosure is more fully made.

In a particular and practicable form of the invention herein disclosed the game embodies the usual sealed cabinet containing a table, sloped slightly from the horizontal so that balls rolling on the table surface will eventually gravitate to an out pocket at the low end thereof. The cabinet has sealed therein a certain number of balls, in this instance, five, 'and at the end of a game play, such balls are held in the said out pocket by the shuffle board structure arranged slidably under the pocket. At the start of a game play, a conventional coin chute is coin released and pushed into the `cabinet to slide the shuffle board assembly from under the pocket to allow all of the balls to drop into an under trough for delivery by the usual ball lifter onto the table, one at a time, for projection to the table obstacles by means of the usual ball projector. Eventually, these played balls gravitate to the ou pocket and are held therein by the .shuille board structure arranged therebeneath.

ball from the out pocket, for replay. An auto- 2 matically acting control means makes it possible to perform this replay of balls operation as many times as there are balls sealed inthe cabinet, in this instance iive. So much will sufllce in presenting a general understanding of the improved structure shown in detail inthe accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a reduced scale, general plan View of a typical ball rolling game `of the pin ball type;

Figure 2 is an enlarged scale, bottom plan view of the game table in the cabinet, with the improved shule board structure shown in its normal ball retaining position with respect to the table out pocket, the gure also including a typical wiring diagram for the electrical parts;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, but showlng the shuille board structure entirely shifted to a position for dropping all balls from the out pocket, at once, as when' starting a new game cycle;

Figure 4 is another bottom view, similar to Figure 2, but showing .only a` portion of the shuflle board structure shifted, as when it is desired to drop only one ball from the out pocket;

Figure 5 isa cross sectional View through the shuille board structure, taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional View through the structure taken along line G-S of Figure 1 and showing in addition the ball lifter and ball projector; and,

vknown manner.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view taken along the line 1-1 of Figure 3.

The game comprises the usual rectangularly shaped cabinet I8 having a front wall Il, an open top closed by a glass panel I2 and a table I3 sloped slightly from the horizontal to provide an inclined ball rolling surface with its low end adjacent the front wall I. The front wall, at one side, carries a spring plunger, ball projector I4 to shoot a ball through a side. passage I5 and along an arch piece I6 on the table to a bumper element |1 from whence the projected ball Will rebound and eventually gravitate down the table toward its low end where guide edges I8 direct spent balls to a notched portion I9 delineating an Yout pocket 26, transversely cut through the table I3 at this point, and in this embodiment of a length and size to receive ve balls numbered 2|. On the surface of the table,in suitably scattered relation, are positioned target or obstacle members 22 of any desired type and intended to be hit or bumped by a rolling ball for score achievement purposes. A slidable coin chute 23 of standard type is positioned in the front wall I I of the cabinet and its inner end within the cabinet is angularly bent as at 24.

When, upon movement of the shuflie board structure, later to be described, the balls 2| are cleared from the out pocket, they drop by gravity into a transverse trough 25 carried in the usual way Within the game cabinet. This trough is transversely inclined to cause balls therein to roll toward the right hand or plunger I4, side of the cabinet. At this point the inner face of the wall of the cabinet is formed with an arcuate ball lift passage 26, so that a conventional, pivotally mounted, ball lifter 21, when manually operated by a plunger 28 carried in the front wall |I, as shown, will elevate the balls 2|, one at a time into the passageway |5. Here the shooter I4 is effective to propel the balls onto the game table surface in the well The improved shuiile board structure will now be described.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 all show this structure in bottom plan views. A first and second shuiile board or plate are provided; the rst being L- shaped and', shown at 29 with one leg thereof extending longitudinally and supported in opposite pairs of carrier rollers 36 mounted on the under side of the table I3. The other leg of the plate 29 is transversely disposed generally below the out pocket slot 28 and of a length completely to close olf its under side, as shown. A spring 3| connected between the wall II and plate 29 normallyv acts to hold said plate 29 in out pocket closing position, At the angle in the` plate 29 is provided a shoulder 32 to be abutted by the end 24 on the coin chute 23. The forward edge of the transverse part of the plate 29 carries a thin, forwardly extending divider finger 33 adapted to block off a space at one end of the out pocket equal in width to about the diameter of one ball 2|. A notch 34 is formed in the piece' I8 to accommodate said finger 33 in a manner to be made known.

The rear, or inner end of the longitudinal leg of the irst plate 29 has secured to it by a screw pin and slot connection 35, a bar 36, the free end of which by means of a pin 31 has a lever 38 pivotally connected thereto. This lever 38 is p-ivoted at 39 between its ends to the under side of the table I3. The throw of Said lever 38 in -one direction is limited by a suitable stop 46.

The free end of lever 38 pivotally carries a driver pawl 4| having a lip portion 42 as shown, and .urged by a spring 43 to duty against the teeth of a ratchet wheel 44 turnably mounted on a suitable shaft 45 carried by the table I3. Said shaft and ratchet wheel 44 turn together, step Yby step, with a conductor wiper arm 46, the free end of which is successively movable over switch contacts 41, of which there are in this instance ve, tol correspond with the number of balls 2| sealed in the cabinet of the game. A clock type spring 48 is operatively associated with the arm 46 and ratchet wheel 44 so that these latter parts as a unit may be restored to the initial starting position on the rst contact button 41. A spring 49 is also -connected between the lever 38 and table I3, as shown.

The under side of the table I3 carries a bracket 56 mounting a solenoid 5I having an armature core 52 pivotally connected to one leg of a bell crank dog 53 having a ratchet engaging tooth portion 54 disposedfto engage also under the lip 42 of the pawl 4|.

The longitudinal leg of the plate 29 has secured thereto as by welding, a bracket 54 carrying an electromagnet 55 havingv a transversely extending, spring pressed armature ycore 56, as shown.

In the diagram of Figure 2, a source of electrical energy is shown at 51, a Wire 58 leading therefrom to one side of the solenoid 5I. From the other side of the solenoid a wire 59 leads to one side of a normally open spring blade contact switch 6I) carried from the underside of the table |3 at the location shown. From the other side of said switch, a wire 6| leads back to the source of energy 51. From the wire 6| a Wire 62 is led to one side of the magnet core 55 and from the latter a wire 63 leads to connect a," series with the contacts 41, arm 46, shaft 45 and by a wire 64 back to the main line 58, all as shown. In the wire 63 is disposed a normally open key or button switch 65 operable manually by a push button 66 preferably positioned on the front wall of the cabinet as shown in Figure l.

By means of additional rollers 30 thelengthwise leg of a second, or supplementary shuiii plate 61 is supported close to and in parallelism with the longitudinal leg of the rst plate 29. Said leg of the plate 61 is positioned for longitudinal movement and in a path to engage with its inner free end portion, the spring blade switch and close it. Said plate 61 includes a rwide head portion 61' guided by a slot and pin arrangement 68 for longitudinal shifting motion under the out pocket 26 in the table I3. The,

portion 61 in this instance is of a width to support four balls 2| in the pocket 20. 'I'he portion l 61 is under the transverse leg portion of the plate 29 and thus the latter rests slidingly on the former.

wall II and the plate 61, as shown. The longitudinal leg of the plate 61 carries a bracket 1|J providing a `downwardly extending notch or shoulder 1| positioned to be engaged normally by the free end of the core 56 so that the two' A spring 69 connects between the Y board plates 29 and 61', held in pocket closing 275 v33 end of the pocket 2i).

position by the pull springs 3I and 69. When the game is released for play the coin chute 23 is pushed into the cabinet and as the coil 55 is deenergized at this time, the two plates' 29 and 61 move or shift conjointly against the pull ofthe springs 3I and 69. In this movement the core 56 is abutting the shoulder 1I as will be obvious. It follows that the -overlying transverse portions of the shuie plates 29 and 61 are shifted to open the bottom of the out pocket 20, whereupon all ve balls therein must fall by gravity through the table I3 and into the ball trough 25 by which they are directed to the ball lift passage 26 for elevation, one at a time, tothe passageway I for projection over the table I3 surface by means of the projector I4 all in the well known manner.

As the coin chute 23 is thus pushed in to release the balls, the longitudinal leg of the plate 61 as appears in Figure 'l will ride over the blade switch 6i) and close its contacts, thereby causing energization of the coil 6I. Consequent movement of its core 52, swings the bellcrank 53 to raise the pawl 4I by engaging under its lip 42.. Thisfrees the ratchet wheel 44 so that said wheel and its wiper arm 46 are returned by the spring 48 to their initial starting position determined by the stop pin shown but not numbered in Figures 2 and 3, the pin being abutted by the arm 46. Thus, the wiper arm is reset toa position on the first, or right hand contact 41, as viewed in Figure 2.

The five balls are now playable one at a time by using the lifter 28 and projector I4. Even tually, all five balls are again lodged by gravitation into the out pocket 29, where they are held because after the game was coin released for play, the springs 3I and 69 promptly restored the plates 29 and 61 to ball holding position under the out pocket 29. It will be assumed that the player having scored not quite well enough with his allotment of ive balls to achieve a win, feels that if he could but have another ball to play, a win could be achieved. It is here where the present buy back structure can be used. The player thus coin releases the coin chute 23, but iirst presses the switch button 6.6 to close switch 65. This energizes the electromagnet 55 to retract its core 56 from the shoulder 1I to free or separate shuiiie plate 29 from plate 61. As the coin chute 23 is now pushed into the cabinet it is found that the plate 29 alone is moved and the plate 61,61 remains stationary, and in position to support four balls. As the plate 29 moves back, the one ball 2| at the end of the pocket -29 adjacent linger 33 has no support under it and consequently must fall through the table and into the trough 25 to be made available for play. The plates 29, 61' may be sloped slightly under the pocket 20 in an obvious manner so that a tendency exists for balls in the pocket to roll in the direction of the nger But such slope is not really necessary Where heavy steel balls are used as when five are vused they always fully occupy the length of the pocket 20, so that one ball is always positioned therein to be dropped singly as described. As the finger 33 moves with plate 29 it acts as a divider to separate the one end ball from the remaining four balls. Thus during the operation just described only the one end ball can be dropped.

Of course, when the plate 29 was so operated alone, its bar 36 Worked the lever 33 and pawl 4I to step up the ratchet wheel 44 and move the arm 46 from the rst to the second conductor button 41. By means of this wiper switch 46, 41 the plate 29 can be independently coin released and operated live times as there are live contacts 41. This is just equal to the number of balls 2| it will be noted, so that ve balls in all can be separately bought back, so to Speak, in an eiort to achieve a win. The chances of a player winning are thus augmented. When the arm 46 steps oli the last or fifth button Contact 41 no current can be passed to energize the electromagnet 55. It follows at this time then, that the two plates 29 and 69 interlock again for conjoint movement, and a new game cycle, releasing all iive balls at once, must be started.

Only a preferred example of the invention has been disclosed and obviously it may take many different forms without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a shulile plate structure movably disposed below the table pocket to support the balls therein, means carrying said structure for sliding movement to a position from under the pocket to allow the balls therein to be dropped, said structure comprising two shufile plates, and optionally operable means to move both plates together conjointly or one plate separately whereby either all or only one of the balls may be dropped from the pocket.

2. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of shuffle plates disposed below the pocket to support the balls therein, means carrying said plates for movement to a position from under the pocket to allow the balls therein to be dropped, said plates having superimposed portions disposable in ball supporting position under the pocket with one plate having a width suilicient to support all but one of the balls when arranged in a row in the pocket and both plate portions together supporting all of said balls when in position under the pocket, and means to move the plates conjointly or one independently from under the pocket.

3. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number oi spent balls; a plurality of shuffle plates disposed slidably below the pocket to support the balls therein, means to couple said plates together to move same conjointly to drop all of said ballsthrough the table, and optionally operable means to uncouple one of said plates for independent' movement to drop less than all of the balls from the pocket through the table.

4. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizzontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuffle plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, means to move said plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, and means whereby one of said plates is independently movable to drop only one ball at a time from the pocket.

5. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuilie plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, means normally but releasably locking said plates for conjoint movement, means to move the plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, means to unlock said plates, and means whereby one of said plates is thereupon independently movable to drop only one ball at a time from the pocket.

6. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuiile plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, movable lock means carried by one of said plates for releasably and normally locking said plates for conjoint movement, means to move the plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, optionally operable electromagnetic means to move the lock member to unlock the plates and free one thereof for independent movement, and means whereby said latter one plate is movable independently to drop only one ball at a time from the pocket.

7. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuiile plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, movable lock means carried by one of said plates for releasably and normally locking said plates for conjoint movement, means to move the plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, optionally operable electro-magnetic means to move the lock member to unlock the plates and free one thereof for independent movement, means whereby said latter one plate is movable independently to drop only one ball at a time from the pocket, and a single manually operable member common to the plates for so moving them conjointly or relatively.

8. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuflie plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, movable lock means carried by one of said plates for releasably and normally locking said plates for conjoint movements, means to move the plates conjointly from under the pocket todrop all balls therein at once, optionally operable electromagnetic means to'move the lock member to unlock the plates and free one thereof for independent movement, means to move said latter one plate independently to drop only one ball at a time from the pocket, and an electromechanically operated control means to limit the number of operations the independently movable plate is capable of having.

9. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a pair of complementary, movably mounted shuiiie plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, means to move said plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, means whereby one of said plates is relatively and independently movable to drop' only one ball at a time from the pocket, and control means responsive to operation of said latter one plate to limit the number of independent operations said plate is capable of having. f

10. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number `of spent balls; av pair of complementary, movably mounted shuffle plates disposed normally under the pocket to support all of the balls therein, means to move said plates conjointly from under the pocket to drop all balls therein at once, means whereby one of said plates is relatively and independently movable to drop only one ball at a time from they pocket, and electromechanical control means operative in response to movement of the latter plate to limit the number o f operations thereof to not more than the predetermined number of balls used in the game.

11. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive a predetermined number of spent balls; a shuffle plate structure lcomprising two movably mounted members carried by the table and having superposed portions adapted to be positioned under the pocket to support the balls therein, said portions being of different widths relative to the length of the pocket with one at least as wide as the pocket is long and the other being somewhat shorter than the pocket is long, and means to move the portions-together from under the pocket or one portion alone.

12. For a ball rolling game having a cabinet carrying a table sloped slightly from the horizontal over which balls are rollable to an out pocket formed in the table to receive apredetermined number of spent balls; a shullle plate structure comprising two shiftable plates carried by the table and positionable under the pocket to support the balls therein, means to move the plates conjointly from under the pockets to release all balls at once, means whereby one of the plates is shiftable individually whereby to release less than all the balls, electric-al control means movable step by step from an initial starting position each time the one plate is individually shifted to limit the number of operations the said plate can have, and means for resetting said control means to starting position when the two plates are conjointly shifted.

DONALD E. HOOKER.` FRANK G. NICOLAUS. 

